Peter Jones joined Dragon's Den in its first series and is its longest-serving dragon.
Jones was part of the original investor panel when the British version launched in 2005. He is an entrepreneur and investor whose business interests have included technology, telecommunications, retail and leisure. His continued presence made him the only original dragon to remain a regular investor across the programme's long run.
The original panel also included Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. Several of those investors later left, while new dragons joined in subsequent series. Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden are therefore strongly associated with the programme, but neither was part of the original five-person panel.
Jones is often recognised on screen for asking entrepreneurs to explain sales, margins, valuation and growth plans. His long tenure has made him one of the defining figures in the British version of the format.